Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to an apparatus for processing substrates. More particularly, embodiments of the disclosure relate to modular capacitively coupled plasma sources for use with processing chambers including batch processors.
Semiconductor device formation is commonly conducted in substrate processing systems or platforms containing multiple chambers, which may also be referred to as cluster tools. In some instances, the purpose of a multi-chamber processing platform or cluster tool is to perform two or more processes on a substrate sequentially in a controlled environment. In other instances, however, a multiple chamber processing platform may only perform a single processing step on substrates. The additional chambers can be employed to maximize the rate at which substrates are processed. In the latter case, the process performed on substrates is typically a batch process, wherein a relatively large number of substrates, e.g. 25 or 50, are processed in a given chamber simultaneously. Batch processing is especially beneficial for processes that are too time-consuming to be performed on individual substrates in an economically viable manner, such as for atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes and some chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes.
The effectiveness of a substrate processing platform is often quantified by cost of ownership. The cost of ownership, while influenced by many factors, is largely affected by the system footprint, i.e., the total floor space required to operate the system in a fabrication plant, and system throughput, i.e., the number of substrates processed per hour. The footprint typically includes access areas adjacent the system that are required for maintenance. Hence, although a substrate processing platform may be relatively small, if it requires access from all sides for operation and maintenance, the system's effective footprint may still be prohibitively large.
Capacitively coupled plasma is used to deposit thin films or to treat films that have been deposited. Plasma non-uniformity can result in non-uniformity of the deposited films. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide apparatus, systems and methods that improve plasma uniformity in modular capacitively coupled plasma sources for use with batch reactors.